Heena Sharma Blog

A researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad has developed an Artificial Intelligence-powered COVID-19 test , which can be performed at an affordable cost. The test kit can produce results in around 20 minutes for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The test kit has already been field-tested at ESIC Medical College and Hospital in Hyderabad to ascertain its efficiency. It can be transported quickly, enabling the test to be conducted at the point-of-care. A major benefit of this testing kit is that it does not require RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction). Each test costs around Rs. 600 device now. However, mass production of the testing kit will help reduce the cost to around Rs. 350 per test. Read More

Did Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi break election rules by addressing the nation on an anti-satellite test recently? Is it right to have a channel dedicated to the leader? Can the country's armed forces be called "Modi's soldiers"? Ahead of a general election that starts next week, the Election Commission of India (ECI) says it is swamped with hundreds of thousands of such questions and complaints of alleged violation of election rules, known as the model code of conduct. Many are coming via ever expanding social media. Opposition parties have accused the ECI of being biased towards the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which they say is giving Modi an unfair advantage in the election. There is even a threat to jail commission officials if Modi is ousted. The BJP denies getting any special treatment from the ECI. The ECI - an autonomous constitutional body tasked with the smooth conduct of the world's biggest democratic exercise with as many